Qatar Airways announced on Thursday (January 02) that it will resume flights to the Syrian capital Damascus after nearly 13 years, starting with three weekly flights beginning on Tuesday.

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The Qatari national carrier "is pleased to announce the resumption of three weekly flights to Damascus, Syria, from 7 January 2025," it said in a statement.

It hailed a "significant step in reconnecting the region", about a month after Islamist-led rebels toppled Syria's longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, capping more than a decade of civil war.

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"Qatar Airways is working closely with relevant authorities to ensure that all necessary safety, security and operational standards are met ahead of the relaunch," the airline said.

CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said the company was "pleased to resume flights to Damascus, a destination of great historical and cultural importance".

A Qatari official told AFP last month that Doha had offered the new Syrian authorities help in resuming operations at Damascus airport.

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Qatar was the second country, after Turkey, to reopen its embassy in the Syrian capital following the overthrow of the Assad government on December 8.

Doha was one of the main backers of the armed rebellion that erupted after Assad's government crushed a peaceful uprising in 2011.

Unlike several of its neighbours, Qatar had remained a stern critic of Assad and did not renew ties with Syria despite its return to the Arab diplomatic fold last year.

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